Trestle-frame and bracing means therefor.



J. L. PUNK.

TRESTLE FRAME AND BRAGING MEANS THEREFOR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 11, 1914.

Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

2 SHEETS*SHEET 1.

W 1/; [ii/2f THE NORRIS PETERS CO PHOTOJJTHOH WASHINGTON D. x

J. L. FUNK. TRESTLE FRAME AND BRACING MEANS THEREFOR,

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 11, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-LITHO,, WASHINGTON, D. c.

Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

I'll

. @TATFF FATFQFTT @FFlttllE.

JOHN L. FUNK, 0F REDO'NDO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO ALONZO S. HAWLEY, 0F REDONIDO, CALIFORNIA.

TRESTLE-FRAME AND BRACING MEANS THEREFOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

Application filed May 11, 1914. Serial No. 837,936.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN L. FUNK, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Redondo, State of California. have invented a new and useful Trestle-Frame and Bracing Means Therefor. of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprises, in combination, a system of rods, contracting devices to draw said rods longitudinally toward each other, and spacing devices carried by or mounted upon said rods to maintain the timbers of the structure to which the system is applied in proper position with respect to each other.

The invention further comprises devices for adjusting said rods laterally, said adjusting devices also aiding in keeping the timbers in proper position.

The invention further comprises the means, separately claimed, for drawing the rods longitudinally toward each other; and also means, separately claimed, fastened to the rods to space from each other timbers through which said rods pass.

@ne obiect of this invention is to dispense with drift pins heretofore driven down into the tops of the piles of bridges and apt to split said piles, and so to weaken them that they are apt to yield to lateral pressure in times of floods or of high water.

Another object is to do away with the heretofore used sway braces which often accumulate drift wood and logs and thus tend to dam up the stream around the piling.

A still further object is to provide a bracing and securing system that can be more readily assembled and disassembled and one which at the same time produces a more secure and permanent structure.

This invention is intended particularly for wooden structures, for example. bridges that have already been constructed. In such bridges holes may be bored through the piling and the bracing elements incorporated into the structure without disassembling the bridge which has already been built. This device can be adjusted from time to time as may be necessary to compensate for the depreciation in or shrinkage of the wood of the bridge, or to adjust any timber of the bridge structure that may have become displaced by storms, weight of trains or other causes. A. broken or defective timber can he very readily removed and a new timber installed without disturbing the structure as a whole.

Figure 1 is a typical section of a standard bridge provided with this system, taken on line w :r of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a partial end view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal elevation of the bridge shown in Fig. 1, on a somewhat smaller scale. Fig. 1 illustrates the separable nut, half of the same being shown in section. Fig. 5 is a side view of the nut, partly sectioned. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a special turnbuckle. Fig. 7 is a transverse mid-section of said turnbuckle part of its shanks being left unsectioned. Fig. 8 is an end view of one half of said turnbuckle.

Referring in detail to the drawings, upon the row of piles consisting of the intermediate piles 1 and the batter piles 2 is mounted the cap timber 3, said cap timber 3 supporting the main stringers 1 and jack stringers 5 which support the ties 6.

Through the row of piles 1 and 2, as shown in Fig. 1, extends a plurality of longitudinally alined rods 7, the adjacent ends of said rods being connected by two-pa rt detachable turnbuckles. as shown in detail in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. where the hooked turnbuckle element 8 is provided with a pair of hooks 9 which pass astride the other turnbuckle element 11 and hook over a pair of bosses or trunnions 12 which project radially from the shank of the turnbuckle element 11. Said shank is hexagonal or of other shape conveniently rotated by a tool. Each of the oppositely disposed tension rods 7 has at its inner end a screw th eaded connection with one of these turnbuckle elements, one rod having right hand threads and the other left hand threads.

Where the rods 7 pass through the piles 1 and 2 said rods are provided with threaded portions adjacent to said piles. Upon said threaded portions of the rods are placed separable nuts 21 the two parts of which are held together by bolts or rivets 22. These separable nuts 21 are provided to avoid the necessity of running screw threads the full length of the rods 7. Said nuts 21 are adjusted against the sides of the piles thus making a close connection against the intermediate washers 23.

The outer end of each rod 7 is provided with an eye 7 intowhich hooks a hook 7 formed on the lower end of a suspending or spacing rod 24 the upper end of which is provided with a nut 24 which screws down upon a fish plate 25 which rests upon the cap timber 3. The inner end of said fish plate 25 is provided with a boss or ear 26 which engages the outer side of the outer stringer 4 near each side of the bridge. Each ear 26 has a hole for the purpose of inserting the upper deck rods 27 which have heads or nuts 28 engaging said ears 26. Said rods 27 are also provided with turnbuckle elements 8 and 11, separable nuts 21 and washers 23 like the lower rods 7.

Between the main stringers '4 may be placed the usual spacing spools 29 for the purpose of making the stringers 4 secure and tight when the turnbuckles and nuts on rods 27 are screwed up.

In. order to keep the upper ends of the batter piles 2 from moving inward when a strain is put upon rods 7, an angular washer plate 85 is provided near each end of each pf the cap timbers 3 at the inner side of each batter pile. Two stay bolts 36 are inserted through these plates 3-5 and also through caps 3 and the fish plates 25 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thereby holding said 'p'lates'35 stationary beneath caps 3 against the pressure of batter piles 2.

a Each of the fish plates '25 is provided with a'hol'e for the well known outer stay bolt '38 which extends through the cap 3 and jack stringer '5 at each side of the structure.

'Length'wise of the bridge, through all the piles 1 and 2, extend the longitudinal anchor bolts 41 which are anchored to a dead man 42 at each end of the bridge, one of said dead menbeing shown in'Fig. '3. Said longitudinal anchor bolts or rods 41 are also provided with turnbuckle elements ;8 and 11 already described, and with the previously described detachable split nuts 21.

In applying this reinforcing system to the bridge illustrated in the drawings, the required holes are first bored through the piles -1 and '2 to receive the rods 7. Then said rods 7 are inserted through said holes from the outer sides of the structure, the washers 23 being placed upon said rods as the rods are inserted through each pile. Then the suspending rods 24 are led up through the eaptimbers 3 'and fish plates 25, the lower ends of said rods 24 being 55' hooked into the eyes 7" of the rods 7 Then the bolts 36 and angle washers 35 are put on and tightened up. Next the turnbuckle elements Sand 11 may be screwed upon the inner ends ef rods 7 preparatory to tightening up said rods 7. But before tightening up rods 7 it is best to insert upper rods 27 threading on spools 29 at the time said rods are inserted. Now the turnbuckle elements ,8, and 11 of rods 27 may be screwed on and both the elements of the upper and lower series of turnbuckles hooked together and then rotated until a moderate amount of strain is applied to both rods 7 and 27. N ext, end bolts 24 should be tightened up;

then both series of turnbuckles further tightened until the proper tension is given to all the transverse rods 7 and 27. Then the separable nuts 23 are applied both to rods 7 and 27 in order to hold the piling and also the stringers in proper position. Any pile or timber can be readily adjusted after the system is installed by means of loosening the proper nut 23 and then tightening the nut on the other side of such timber or pile. The anchor rods 41 may be put on last and connected up by the method already described.

Although this reinforcing system has been herein shown and described only in its application to a bridge, yet it is to be understood that said system may be applied to wharves, piers, tramways, or to any other kind of a structure to which a workman might apply the same, within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a structure of the character described, the combination, with the piling, the transverse cap timbers, and the longitudinal stringers; of a plate at each end of the trestle having a base portion extending underneath and laterally beyond the outer stringer, said plates each having an upturned apertured portion opposed to the outer surface of one of the main stringers, a connection extending through the aperture of each of said plates to connect opposite plates with each other and tighten them against said main stringers, a suspending bolt extending through the base portion of each of said plates, and a pilespacing and securing device, said device being adjustably connected at each outer end with one of said suspending bolts.

2. In a structure of the character described, the combination, with a row of timbers, of a plurality of rods in approximate longitudinal alinemen-t to brace said row of timbers, a tension device comprising detachable sections adapted for fastening together, said tension device connecting adj acent ends of said alincd rods to adjust said rods longitudinally with relation to each other, and means carried by said rods and adjustable along said rods against opposite sides of individualtimbers to draw upon the latter when the said tension device is tightened.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a row of piles and a cap piece supported by said row of piles, of a plurality oi rods to brace said row of piles, means todraw said rods longitudinally toward each other and maintain thereupon the desired degree of tension, means adjustable along said rods to maintain individual piles of said row at the proper distance from adjacent piles, and suspending or spacing rods operating between said bracing rods and cap piece to maintain said bracing rods at the desired position longitudinally of said piles, said suspending rods being provided with nuts threading on to their upper ends and with hooked lower portions which engage said bracing rods.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of Ca1ifornia, this second day of May, 1914:.

JOHN L. FUNK.

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. MERRILL, R. G. ROBERTS.

flopiea at this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of resents,

Washington, D. G." 

